Apparatus to hold and turn the leaves oe books and music



UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRUS B. THAYER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS TO HOLD AND TUR-N THE LEAVES OF BOOKS AND MUSIC.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 24,504, dated June 21, 1859.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CYnUs B. THAYER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of ltassachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Music-Leaf Holder and Turner; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, refence being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, Figure l being a front elevation of the improved music-leaf holder and turner; Fig. 2, a plan of the bottom thereof; Fig. 3, a section in the plane indicated by the line s@ Fig. l; Fig. et, a section indicated by the line y y, Fig. 2.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A base A, of suitable size to sustain the music leaves, and the other parts of the instrument, is provided, and has feet or supports a, a, whereby it rests on the pianoforte or other musical instrument. To the rear edge of this base two back pieces B, B, are firmly attached so as to extend upward and somewhat backward, and leave a wedgeshaped space between them, for the reception of clamps C, C, as represented in Fig. l. These clamps have on their outer edges, tongues of dove-tail form, which fit so as to slide in grooves, of the same size and shape, in the inner edges of the back pieces B, B, as seen at Z), L, Figs. 2, and This mode of joining the edges of the back pieces and clamps, also serves to separate the clamps from each other when drawn upward. Then, by pushing the clamps down again, they are brought together so as to hold the music leaves, the backs of which are inserted between them for the purpose. The upper ends of the clamps may be connected by a dowel-pin (Z, or its equivalent, for keeping them properly fitted together at the top.

In a notch c, between the upper ends of the clamps, are secured the upper ends of the leaf-turning cords D, D, D, a sufficient number of which is attached to each instrument to supply all the leaves ordinarily to be found in a piece of music. The lower ends of these cords are respectively secured to an equal number of upright rods or handles H. H, H, which extend upward, in front of the base A, from the forward ends of pivoted arms G, G, G, under the base of the instrument. The pivot g, on which the arms G, G, G. turn, is situated beneath the base, nearly in the line of the space between the clamps C, O, or where the backs of the music leaves are secured, so that the arms will turn nearly on the same axis as the music leaves and leaf-turning cords. The arms are of such a length as, when moved either to the one side or to the other, to cause the leaf-turning cords to hold the music leaves back in proper view, either to the right or left. The arms G, G, G, are so attached to their pivot g, as to allow their movable ends to be depressed somewhat away from the base A, when necessary; and the leaf-turning cords D, D, D, are elastic, or have elastic attachments, so as to draw the arms again up to the base, after being depressed, as hereinafter set forth. This elasticity also facilitates the insertion of the music leaves between them, and keeps them always taut. The arms G, G, G, are also constructed and attached so as to range side by side against the base A, as shown in Figs. l, and 2.

The music leaves having been secured between the clamps C, C, and inserted between the cords D, D, D, so that a cord will be behind each leaf, all the arms G, G, G, are moved over together to the right side of the instrument and held there by a catch m, on the bottom of the base A, as represented. Thus, all the music leaves are on the right side,ready for the performer to commence the playing. The object. then to be accomplished by the instrument, is to set free the foremost arm G, move it quickly over to the left side, consequently carrying the first music leaf with it, and to hold all there; then, in like manner, to set free and carry over to the left side each following arm and leaf, in succession, when each leaf is ready to be turned; and this to be accomplished by a single momentary touch of the player, and without interrupting the performance of the piece. I effect this purpose in the following manner In order to move the arms G, G, G, over to the left side, when set free, elastic cords 7L, 7L, z, are respectively attached to them, the other ends thereof being attached at z', z', z', to the base A, at the left hand, as seen most clearly in Fig. 2. Any equivalent of these elastic cords may be employed. For the purpose of setting free the arms G, G, G, in succession, at the proper time, a bent lever E, of wire or other suitable material, is formed and arranged beneath the base A, substantially as represented in the drawings. It

turns in hinges L, L, and its long arm extends forward and downward, in front -of the instrument, the end thereof terminating in a linger-key e, as shown, so that the performer can readily reach it while playing. The other end of the lever is let into a recess in the base A, and terminates in a projection f, (Fig. 4,) extending downward directly over the front arm Gr, behind the catch m. This projection should not eX- ceed in thickness that of the arm Gr, beneath, so that, when it is forced downward, it will only depress that particular arm beneath it. This end of the lever E, is held up into its recess by a spring I, or its equivalent. Thus arranged, when the finger-key e, is pressed down, the other arm of the lever E, is also forced downward, thereby causing the projection f, to push the forward arm G, down beyond the catch m, and thus allowing said arm immediately to be sprung over to the other side of the instrument, as indicated by red lines in Figs. l, and 4. At the same time, the succeeding arms Gr, G, Gr, press forward against the projection f, which, being again forced upward into its recess, by the spring I, as soon as the performer releases the finger-key e, allows the contiguous arm Gr, to spring forward against the catch m, ready to be set free, in turn, in the same manner. The elastic leaf-turning cords D, D, D, keep the arms G, G, Gr, pressed closely up to the base A, so that there is no liability of any one of them getting past the catch m, accidentally.

Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination and arrangement of the wedge-acting back-pieces B, B, and clamps C, C, with their connecting dovetail tongues and grooves b, Z), substantially as described, so that simply raising the clamps shall unclamp, and depressing them, shall clamp, the music sheets, las herein specified.

2. I also claim the arrangement and combination, substantially as herein specified, of the leaf-turning cords D, D, D, arms Gr, Gr, G lever E, and catch fm, for the purpose set forth.

In witness that the above is a true specication of my improved music-leaf holder and turner, I hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of April, 1859.

CYRUS B. THAYER.

lVitnesses:

CHARLY ROBINSON, CHARLES E. WIGGIN. 

